An electronic fuse or current limiter is triggered when the current passing therethrough is too high. Such high currents can occur for two reasons, one of which is that a load connected to the network overloads the network, and the other is when a short circuit occurs. When a circuit is subjected to an excessively high load temporarily, for instance when starting-up a capacitive load, it is of interest to activate the fuse when too much current passes through the circuit while, at the same time, ensuring that the load is charged so as to achieve normal operation, since the excessively high current only occurs in a starting-up mode in such operational conditions. EP-A2-0 288 015 describes a device which could be used conveniently to close and open a current valve in an electronic fuse despite the device being intended for inductive loads. However, this known device has no function which closes the current valve subsequent to said valve having oscillated over a given time period, such a function being of interest in preventing the current valve from breaking-up. It is therefore of interest to count the pulses that control activation and deactivation of the current valve when such pulses exist as a result of an overload or a short circuit and to close, deactivate, the current valve or current limiter after a given period of time has lapsed, so as to prevent the valve from breaking-up as a result of said oscillations. When an excessively high load occurs temporarily, the pulse quotient will also vary and therewith make it difficult to count different types of pulse.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,886 describes an overcurrent protective circuit that includes a transistor which begins to conduct upon detection of an overcurrent and which is maintained in a conductive state by means of the charge in a capacitor, so as to prevent oscillation.